Abel to Yzerman

Here’s hoping for a quick, painless, injury-free conclusion to the Phoenix/Nashville series. The last thing we want to see, after all, is one of our top 4 defensemen getting hurt.

Players like Ryan Suter and Zach Parise are apt to be stoked about joining a team that already has the likes of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and quite likely a returning Nicklas Lidstrom, and also boasts a long tradition of winning despite this year’s early exit from the playoffs.

The Wings figure to have the inside track on both these prize catches…Both (Parise) and Suter have already been asked about that possibility of going to Detroit and both declined to comment, of course. But both talked about the great tradition the Wings have developed over the years, not the least of which is their reputation for treating players well.

I don’t see what the big deal is with Suter, I’d rather see Ken Holland show some guts and drop 3 or 4 1st round picks and acquire RFAs Karlsson (OTT) or Weber. Our 1st rd picks are always late and Kenny always blows them. Karlsson is the second coming of Lidstrom he’d be worth the picks IMO. One thing is for sure I don’t foresee the Wings blowing $6mill on a back-up goaltender like the Flyers did last summer. haha.

Posted by
Franzenstein
from Deeetroit on 05/03/12 at 01:32 AM ET

Why would Holland way overpay with $ and draft picks (which is exactly what happens when you go after and RFA) for a guy who tried to break Zetterberg’s head or a kid with great offense but not-yet-there defensive abilities instead of a big, tough, all-around solid defenseman who will cost less than Weber and is more well-rounded than Karlsson?

Compared to Weber and Karlsson Suter is not close. If you end up blowing your 1st rd picks year after year (excluding Howard) is it really overpaying? Why would the Wings go after a guy like Weber, well besides the fact that he scores alot, especially on the PP, he is the type of toughness the Wings have been missing. Other players fear the guys fist, he knocked Lilja out for almost two seasons with one punch. His slap shot scares the hell out of opposing goaltenders. Weber is a big mean SOB and the Wings really need guys like that. And Karlsson is only 21, he’s already a stud and will be a stud for atleast 15 more seasons. He’s a franchise player and would be worth every pick and every penny. Overpaying would be giving a guy like Suter Lidstrom type money just because you have the money to spend and there’s a hole that needs to be plugged.

Posted by
Franzenstein
from Deeetroit on 05/03/12 at 02:05 AM ET

Compared to Weber and Karlsson Suter is not close. If you end up blowing your 1st rd picks year after year (excluding Howard) is it really overpaying? Why would the Wings go after a guy like Weber, well besides the fact that he scores alot, especially on the PP, he is the type of toughness the Wings have been missing. Other players fear the guys fist, he knocked Lilja out for almost two seasons with one punch. His slap shot scares the hell out of opposing goaltenders. Weber is a big mean SOB and the Wings really need guys like that. And Karlsson is only 21, he’s already a stud and will be a stud for atleast 15 more seasons. He’s a franchise player and would be worth every pick and every penny.

The difference in a guy like Weber, Duncan Keith or Karlsson and a transcendent creature like Lidstrom that no one seems to realize is that Lidstrom puts up the numbers he does while being the best defensive defenseman on his team.

Those other guys all have security blankets. Suter enables Weber to do what he does by being the better defensive guy. He’s not as physical, won’t score as many points (not that he’s a slouch there) but he’ll be there in position defensively on the (admittedly growing rarer) occasions Weber pinches and gives up something coming back.

Futhermore, positional soundness and being in the right place at the right time is difficult to see but if you’re a Red Wings fan you should at least understand the importance of it after having had Lidstrom in a Wings jersey for the last twenty years.

Not to mention that to get Weber on an offer sheet you’d have to offer him an ungodly amount. Like, $8M+. And on TOP of that insane cap hit, you’re giving up FOUR first rounders if Nashville doesn’t match it.

Yes, the Wings have dealt firsts, but they do it on a year-to-year basis. To just give up four while also taking up a huge chunk of cap space would be idiotic.

You’re a coward and don’t have the courage to publicly come out of the closet. So, I’ll do it for your mother’s sake. Isn’t it true that you and your husband sit nude together, jerking each other off while watching Pavel Datsyuk highlights. Further, didn’t you also say that Scottie’s
beard is best for tea bagging.

Sounds like it’s Mike Illitch driving this one.. Even Jimmy D is trumpeting the FA horn in Mr. I’s name. I think the fireworks start July 1. I think Parise and BFF Suter and thinking to themselves, “we could be the next chapter in the greatest franchise in the history of the sport” and “with Z, Pav & Co. another cup is almost in the bag if we want it”

You are spewing homophobic comments anonymously while calling someone else a coward? I agree with shanetx, you need to go away.

I disagree with anyone advocating for Weber in Detroit. He isn’t a leader (see his comments regarding the recent club suspension of two Nashville players) and he cannot control his temper when it counts. I’d rather have Suter.

Obviously I’d love to see the Wings land either player, or both. But if you had to pick just one of the two, who would you guys pick?

For me, and I know this goes against even my own better judgment, I’d pick Parise. I know defense first is almost always the right decision, but I just feel like the Wings need a new leader up front. There was too much talent on the team for the power play to be as bad as it was last year. Granted, Suter would help that as well.

Wings are not getting Weber. Holland never ever goes after RFA’s and he definitely won’t go after him. The cost will be way too high. I do hope a team or three offers him insane money and Nashville decides to match. That’d be funny.

The Wings getting both Parise and Suter is highly unlikely as well. They’re both going to be getting lifetime contracts (ala Zetterberg and Franzen) and I highly doubt Holland is willing to add two more to that list especially at a cost of 7m + a yr. Although I would love to see Parise wearing the Winged Wheel sweater.
I really think he’s going to surprise some of us by making a couple trades. Me thinks Filppula’s days may be over with the Wings. Maybe Yzerman wants him…. Just a hunch.

Posted by
Vladimir16
from Grand River Valley on 05/03/12 at 11:18 AM ET

Obviously I’d love to see the Wings land either player, or both. smile But if you had to pick just one of the two, who would you guys pick?

Depends. If Lids is done, I think you have to make Suter the priority. No other FA defenseman comes close to the all around game we’ll be losing in #5.

If Lids is back, we’ve got a year to evaluate options. Look into other acquisitions via FA or trade, see the development of Smith, E52 and Kindl (assuming all remain and are not traded), see if Quincey can adapt (i get the feeling we’re keeping him), and hopefully see even more from Kronner who has just about stepped into the role of top defender. With that room to maneuver, I would take a chance on picking up Parise to fill that top scoring threat we all know is needed.

The Wings have enough flexibility to sign both and still be ok for the next few years. I think if they sign both, Filppula is likely gone by end of year, unless he has a monster season.

If cap goes up, Wings have a lot of money. And it is likely that Hudler/Holmstrom are gone, freeing up even more. Their spots will be replaced by Parise, Nyquist. Helm and Eaves will be back. Wings offense will roll.

Defense, even if Lidstrom stays one more year, Stuart is likely gone. Smith will come in for low $$ and likely will contribute well. Quincey, I think, will be around a while and next year will be much more comfortable in the system after he’s had an entire off-season/pre-season to adjust. I think Quincey may take a Detroit discount after the career he’s had - he’s seen what it’s like on weaker teams and probably would like to settle down.

This is a rare scenario in the cap era. A team has so much $$ available at a time when they’ll shed more salaries with players retiring or moving on and there are two FA that fit their system perfectly. If Detroit signs both players and gets a decent backup goalie figured out, there will be no team better equipped to win the Cup and Holland will be a lock for GM of the year.

If the cap goes up to $70M as some GMs are expecting, the Wings will have $26M in cap space to sign 7 or 8 players. There is a lot of flexibility there, unheard of for the Wings in the Cap era.

The big wet blanket is the unknown of the next CBA. How bold the Wings are will depend on what feel they have of the restrictions and ground rules of the next CBA.

I don’t mind reading speculation, but I won’t get worked up about anything until the season is over, players have had time for their emotions to settle down, and back room bribaries have had a chance to take place.

Posted by
RWBill
from lead guitarist for The Pompous Dicks. on 05/04/12 at 11:29 AM ET

I’m not gonna get worked up aboot potential acquisitions as the summer unfolds. I’d much rather sit back and criticize after the fact.

Posted by calquake on 05/03/12 at 12:44 PM ET

Now that’s a true Detroit sports fan!

Posted by
RWBill
from lead guitarist for The Pompous Dicks. on 05/04/12 at 12:28 PM ET

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com